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Synonym Chooser

How is the word sly distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of sly are artful, crafty, cunning, foxy, slick, tricky, and wily. While all these words mean "attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means," sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods.

a sly corporate raider

Where would artful be a reasonable alternative to sly?

The words artful and sly are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness.

elicited the information by artful questioning

When could crafty be used to replace sly?

While in some cases nearly identical to sly, crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method.

a crafty lefthander

In what contexts can cunning take the place of sly?

While the synonyms cunning and sly are close in meaning, cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing.

the cunning fox avoided the trap

When is it sensible to use foxy instead of sly?

The synonyms foxy and sly are sometimes interchangeable, but foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing.

a foxy publicity man planting stories

When is slick a more appropriate choice than sly?

In some situations, the words slick and sly are roughly equivalent. However, slick emphasizes smoothness and guile.

slick operators selling time-sharing

When might tricky be a better fit than sly?

Although the words tricky and sly have much in common, tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering.

a tricky political operative

When would wily be a good substitute for sly?

The meanings of wily and sly largely overlap; however, wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.

the wily fugitive escaped the posse

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sly Meanwhile, Adebayo has continued to support Wilson with sly social media posts. Jordana Comiter, People.com, 26 Apr. 2025 The boisterous comedian lights up the stage with sly wit and brazen confidence, conveying Moss’ righteous fury over being bottom of the office food chain. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025 When Harrison zooms all the way into the specifics of a scene, especially in those vignettes with Cheung’s mother and Spahn’s coder, his work sings most cleanly, where naturalism melds with sly wit. Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2025 But reception took a turn for a worse when critics noticed Meta’s sly approach to ranking on LMArena, a site that ranks LLMs based on user votes. IEEE Spectrum, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sly
Adjective
  • Hawkins knows exactly how to play Laura’s cheery psychopathy and cunning cruelties, and Wong, in her first film role, gives Piper a spirited independence.
    Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 29 May 2025
  • Rigg’s voice is sharp and engrossing, her characters cunning but affable.
    Isle McElroy, Vulture, 21 May 2025
Adjective
  • Patti LuPone had a shady reaction to questions about Audra McDonald in a new interview.
    Joey Nolfi Published, EW.com, 27 May 2025
  • Simple Deluxe 9-foot Patio Umbrella and 50-pound Base Add a shady spot to your sunny patio space with this nine-foot umbrella that comes with a base that can be filled with up to 50 pounds of sand or water.
    Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 26 May 2025
Adjective
  • Lois, no longer a promiscuous drag king, remains mischievous and irrepressible, even while getting pilloried on Fox News for leading a school workshop on gender identity.
    Charlie Tyson, New Yorker, 4 June 2025
  • Each day in the world of Phineas and Ferb is filled with a fantastical invention or creation—and their big sister Candace (Ashley Tisdale) is still perpetually annoyed by their mischievous antics, and on a mission to expose their exploits to their mom, Linda Flynn-Fletcher.
    Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 28 May 2025
Adjective
  • The knotted fabric straps have an elevated look, making these cute enough to wear with your favorite sundresses and skirts.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 1 June 2025
  • In addition to pool and beach looks, these slides look cute with baggy jeans and graphic tank tops, flowy midi dresses, and two-piece linen sets.
    Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 28 May 2025
Adjective
  • That can be achieved with stylish patio furniture finds, including seating options, dining sets, and sneaky storage solutions.
    Rachel Trujillo, People.com, 28 May 2025
  • He is also sneaky fast, especially for a big guy (listed at 6-foot-2, 218 pounds) with a big lower body.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2025
Adjective
  • Robertson has a wicked release and high work rate, scoring 29 goals across the past two seasons despite seeing limited power-play time. 13.
    Chris Johnston, New York Times, 29 May 2025
  • Silo is a wicked and bingeable slow burn with a tantalizing central mystery.
    Barry Levitt, Time, 26 May 2025
Adjective
  • The family secrets were subtle but pervasive, reverberating not just through this nuclear family, but also across generations.
    Susan Walter June 6, Literary Hub, 6 June 2025
  • For games that ran mostly fine on the original Switch, the upgrades are more subtle but still impressive.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • In this setting, the episode shifts between covert conversations, furtive looks, confrontations behind doors, and everything in between.
    Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Asked by the newspaper’s lawyers to explain how the furtive system worked, Mr. Frankel typed up a 14-page memo.
    David W. Dunlap, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sly. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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